


What Do You Want

by shadowsamurai



Category: Babylon 5
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon, Drama, Gen, Humor
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-06-20
Updated: 2012-06-20
Packaged: 2017-11-08 04:58:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,329
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/439401
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shadowsamurai/pseuds/shadowsamurai
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>An alternative take on S1, Ep 13, 'Signs and Portents'. Mr Morden talks to Commander Sinclair.</p>
            </blockquote>





	What Do You Want

Disclaimer: I don't own anything, I'm just borrowing things for a while and I promise I'll put everything back exactly how I found it when I've finished. Well, almost exactly how I found it. ;) 

B5-B5-B5-B5-B5-B5

"What do you want?"

For a moment, Sinclair tuned out the question and the presence of the man in front of him as he recalled the quick visit from his harassed-looking security chief not ten minutes earlier.

*"Commander."

Sinclair looked up. "Garibaldi."

"There's a guy coming to see you. Thought you ought to know."

"It's not against the rules, you know," Sinclair said, amused by Garibaldi's anxious expression.

"Maybe, but I don't like this, Jeff."

"Is there anything you do like, Michael?"

Garibaldi half-smiled. "Plenty, but now's not the time to talk about it. Look, I've just heard this guy has been to G'Kar and Delenn, and that he's due to see Londo soon, but not Kosh."

Sinclair sat back in his chair and frowned. "Why meet with all the major ambassadors but not Kosh?"

"Who knows? Anyway, his meeting with G'Kar went okay, but apparently, he left Delenn's quarters in a hurry," Garibaldi said, then held his hand up and added, "She's fine."

"Good," Sinclair replied, breathing a quiet sigh of relief.

"And now he's on his way to see you, since you're the chief representative for Earth here."

"One day, someone will have to explain why I got picked for that job," Sinclair said dryly. "Does this guy have a name?"

Garibaldi nodded. "Morden. Jeff…just be careful, alright? There's something creepy about him, and you know me, I don't scare easy."

Sinclair smiled. "Don't worry, Michael, I won't do anything stupid."

"Good. 'Cos if you do, I'll be asking Kosh to resurrect you so I can kill you again." Garibaldi nodded. "Commander."

"Chief," Sinclair replied, waiting until Garibaldi left before grinning and shaking his head.*

"Commander?"

Sinclair blinked and smiled. "I'm sorry. What did you say, Mr Morden?"

Morden smiled back, an oily reflection of the Commander's warm and genuine expression. "I asked what you wanted, Commander Sinclair," he replied.

Sinclair frowned slightly. "I don't think it's a question I can answer, Mr Morden."

"Everybody wants something, Commander," Morden said, his manner ingratiating.

"How true. And what is it you want, I wonder?"

"For you to answer my question."

Sinclair zoned out again, mulling the query over in his mind. *'What do I want?'* he thought. He had a job he enjoyed, most of the time, and a command staff he trusted implicitly and could rely on to do anything he asked of them. He had the love of his life back in his life, and as long as Catherine was happy, so was he. Not finding the answer, Sinclair widened his 'search'.

He thought about Garibaldi, one of his oldest friends, and all he wanted for Michael was a continuation of what he already had; a good job, loyal friends, and no need to turn to the alcohol. For Ivanova, Sinclair simply wanted her career to shine as much as she did, and there was nothing more he could do to help her with that except what he was already doing, teaching her what he knew and helping her to grow on her own. Besides, Susan was Russian; she wouldn't want to be helped unless absolutely necessary, preferring to do everything on her own. And Sinclair didn't know Franklin that well to really want anything for him.

He could have asked for something for the Narns to help settle the situation with the Centauri once and for all, but Sinclair knew it wouldn't make any difference. The Centauri had started to mudslide, and nothing now would stop it. The Narns would continue fighting back and maybe eventually win, dominating Centauri Prime as their own world had been occupied. But in time, the Centauri would grow strong again and retaliate. Sinclair could see the whole vicious cycle as clear as day, and he knew it would only end when one race was dead.

Part of Sinclair wanted to punish the Minbari for all the lives they took during the war, especially when his friends had died, but he knew that wouldn't help his nightmares or the sense of guilt that threatened to choke him at times. Guilt that he, Sinclair, had survived when so few others had. No, revenge was not something he wanted; Sinclair thought of Delenn's gentle face and could only smile. He couldn't explain what it was that drew him to her, but he always felt a peculiar sense of homecoming in her presence.

As Morden watched, Sinclair's expression flickered and changed, and eventually settled into a contented smile. "No, Mr Morden, I can honestly say there is nothing I want," Sinclair replied eventually.

Morden was a cynic, knowing too much about people to believe that, but then he looked into Sinclair's eyes. Not just a cursory glance as he usually did; he felt drawn to the Commander's gaze, and what Morden saw terrified him. The depth of the man's compassion was astounding, as was the inner peace he seemed to have achieved. Morden was a man who thrived on the dark side of human nature, and while Sinclair wasn't exactly without one, Morden could see he wouldn't be able to tap it.

Forcing a smile onto his face, he rose. "Thank you for your time, Commander."

Sinclair smiled back, feeling a small amount of satisfaction as Morden looked even more uncomfortable. "Don't mention it. Have a nice day."

Morden bowed and left the Commander's office. Two minutes later, Garibaldi walked in. "So?"

"Cats are supposed to be so curious, Michael," Sinclair said, shaking his head, "Not security chiefs."

Garibaldi shrugged. "Comes with the job, Commander. So, what did he want?"

Sinclair laughed. "That's exactly what Mr Morden said."

"What?"

"He asked what I wanted."

Garibaldi looked incredulous. "That's it? What did you say?"

"I told him I didn't want anything."

"Good answer, Jeff. Well, if you'll excuse me, I think I'll follow him, see where he goes next," Garibaldi said.

"Is stalking part of the job description too, Chief?" Sinclair asked.

"He could be a threat to station security, Commander," Garibaldi replied sincerely. "Got to check it out."

"Alright, Garibaldi. Dismissed." Even though he had barged into Sinclair's office without an invite, the Commander thought it best to try and maintain some sort of chain of command.

Garibaldi nodded. "Commander." He got to the door before he turned around. "D'you think this Morden guy'll ask me what I want?"

"No."

"Damn."

"Why?" Sinclair asked curiously. "What do you want?"

"To shove him out the nearest airlock, see how well he breathes in space," Garibaldi replied.

"Michael…."

Garibaldi held his hands up. "Alright, it was just a thought. Or maybe I could feed him to the Pak'ma'ra…."

"Garibaldi!" Sinclair said loudly, settling down to his paperwork again.

"I'm goin', I'm goin'."

"I see Mr Garibaldi is causing trouble again."

Sinclair looked up to see Ivanova stood in the same place the security chief had been less than a minute earlier. "Isn't he always?"

Ivanova nodded. "He seems to have developed a worrying knack for it."

"Was there something, Lieutenant Commander?" Sinclair asked.

"Yes, sir. We've been picking up unusual Raider activity, so I thought I'd stay on shift, keep an eye on things," Ivanova replied. "But to do that, I need sustenance from the mess hall."

"Sounds like a good idea. Could you grab something for me while you're there?"

"Of course," Ivanova said, nodding again. "What do you want?"

Sinclair stared for a moment before he started laughing, a deep, rumbling that Ivanova had rarely heard. When it became clear he wasn't going to be able to answer her any time soon, she held her hand up.

"It's alright, sir, I'll just pick something up for you," she said, nodding and leaving the office quickly, adding under her breath, "Like Dr Franklin with a straight jacket."

FIN


End file.
